1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to single instruction stream multiple data stream signal processors and, more particularly, to such signal processors employing macro data stream or data flow methodology and to improved data processing methods therefor.
2. Description of Related Art
The benefits of macro data flow methodology are not realizable when implemented on contemporary data processing architectures. In such instances, signal processing tasks are allocated to specific processors prior to run-time system execution, either manually or by the use of complicated software tools, often achieving less than satisfactory results. The allocation of signal processing tasks to specific processors requires that data be transferred from one processor to another in order to continue the next signal processing task in sequence. Such signal processing task assignments involve significant overhead due to the time required to transfer data between processors, contributing to processor overloading. Equally important, these contemporary signal processing architectures neither allow for dynamic reallocation of tasks nor for degraded performance envelope processing. These inherent limitations in contemporary signal processing architectures seriously limit implementation of the data flow programming methodology due the absence of key features which are necessary to support data flow operating system functions.